A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to compositions of matter and processes and especially to ointments for removing certain types of skin cancers and healing the site of the removed growth.
B. Prior Art
Various natural substances such as herbs or roots have beeb proposed for ingestion to treat cancer as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 114,544. Sarsaparilla, sassafras bark, bloodroot are parts of a composition described in that patent. More recent U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,437 has taught the use of a different root, namely, dried bittersweet, together with zinc chloride to form a salve which, according to the patent, removes certain types of skin growths when applied topically.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,411,577 to Mullens is an ointment for external application for unspecified conditions or diseases, there being no mention of removal of skin growths or the like. Its ingredients include bloodroot and zinc chloride as well as an equal part of metallic cobalt and some glycerine to form a paste.
Ginger has also been used for many years as an ingredient for medicines or liniments for many different medical problems such as headache, toothache, removal of blotches and pimples, and animal diseases. Such usage is shown in Schroeck U.S. Pat. No. 267,159; Ward U.S. Pat. No. 95,173; Barger U.S. Pat. No. 92,248 (cholera), Perrin U.S. Pat. No. 448,728 (panacea) and Ramsaur U.S. Pat. No. 92,209 (blotch and pimple removal).
While each of the three ingredients of the present invention have been used as components in medicines or ointments, they have never appeared together in the form which has been found by the present inventor to be an extremely effective ointment for removing certain skin growths of the malignant type.
I have discovered through repeated experimentation and treatment of human patients that if substantially equal parts, by weight, of powdered bloodroot, powdered ginger (kowlang) root, and zinc chloride are formed into a paste, allowed to stand, then applied to certain skin cancers such as epithelioma in a series of successive treatments as detailed below, the cancerous growth or lesion selectively becomes disengaged from the surrounding dermal region in a number of days and may be easily removed. After removal, I then begin treatment of the former site of the growth with a healing ointment which comprises hog lard, lanolin, liquefied phenol and tannic acid, as will be described later.
My epitheliomal cancer-removing ointment comprises approximately equal parts by weight of (1) bloodroot in its powdered form such as Penick's "Initial Line" powdered bloodroot U.S.P. distributed by S. B. Penick and Co. of New York and Chicago, (2) powdered ginger root and (3) zinc chloride. The ginger root used was manufactured by S. B. Penick and Co. in its U.S.P. form. The zinc chloride may be, for example, the U.S.P. form 1-4326 marketed by the J. T. Baker Chemical Co. of Phillipsburg, N.J.
To make this epitheliomal cancer-removing ointment, the zinc chloride is exposed to air for several days whereupon it becomes a thick liquid. It is then added to the bloodroot and ginger root and blended together to form a paste which does not run or drop. Then the paste is allowed to set for about a week or two.
When a patient with epithelioma, malignant moles or sun spots is treated, the ointment is applied with an applicator to the lesion which, at first, appears to be, externally, very small. The day after, the previously-applied ointment is removed by swabbing with a cotton-tipped applicator which has been dipped in rubbing alcohol. An additional amount of fresh growth-removing ointment is again applied to the lesion. In the days following, the treatment is repeated in the same way. These successive applications of the removing ointment result in the lesion appearing to have a progressively larger external aspect. Depending upon the original size of the lesion, the period of enlargement may range from 4-8 days, for example. When the lesion maintains dimensional stability, it usually is ready to fall out and may easily be picked out.
At this juncture, I have found that it is highly advantageous to use a second healing-promoting ointment. This ointment is made by mixing one half pound each of hog lard and lanolin (hydrous) U.S.P. grade 1-2253 such as the product distributed by the J. T. Baker Company mentioned above. To this combination 15-20 drops of liquefied phenol U.S.P. grade as distributed by J. T. Baker or Merck, for example, is added. Liquefied phenol is 89% phenol and 11% water. Then 1/3 of a teaspoon of food grade gallotannic acid powder such as 1-0380 marketed by J. T. Baker and one oz. of white beeswax U.S.P. grade such as #0207 cakes sold by Humco Laboratory of Texarkana, Tex. are added. The ingredients are put into a double boiler and heated for 30-60 minutes until the mixture becomes entirely liquid, the ingredients being continually stirred. It is then allowed to cool whereupon it solidifies and becomes a salve or ointment.
This salve is applied by the patient to the site of the former lesion twice daily. To prevent scarring, it is important to insure that no excessive phenol remains on the healing skin, so that after it is applied, it is washed off quickly with alcohol. After each three days of applying the healing salve, the patient should return to the doctor for a check-up.